Char Siu Chicken (Print)

Juicy char siu chicken glazed with honey-hoisin, roasted until caramelized; garnished with green onions and sesame.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.75 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

→ Marinade

02 - 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
03 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 2 tbsp honey
05 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
06 - 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tsp five-spice powder
09 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
10 - 1 tsp sesame oil
11 - 1/2 tsp red food coloring (optional, for traditional color)

→ Garnish

12 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
13 - 1 tsp sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, minced garlic, five-spice powder, grated ginger, sesame oil, and red food coloring (if using) until smooth and well combined.
02 - Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and coat each piece thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and place a roasting rack on top to allow even air circulation around the chicken.
04 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and arrange the thighs on the roasting rack. Reserve the leftover marinade in the bowl for basting.
05 - Roast the chicken for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush generously with the reserved marinade using a pastry brush. Return to the oven and continue roasting for another 10–15 minutes until the glaze is glossy, sticky, and deeply caramelized.
06 - For extra color and smoky flavor, broil the chicken for 2–3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
07 - Slice the char siu chicken into strips and arrange on a serving platter. Scatter sliced green onions and sesame seeds over the top. Serve alongside steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried greens.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sticky glaze caramelizes in the oven so beautifully you will feel like you have a secret roast shop in your kitchen.
  • It uses everyday pantry sauces you probably already have, which means no hunting for obscure ingredients at three different stores.
02 -
  • Do not skip the overnight marinate because the difference in flavor penetration between two hours and overnight is dramatic.
  • Use the broiler with extreme caution because the honey in the marinade can go from beautifully charred to burnt in seconds.
03 -
  • Save a few tablespoons of raw marinade before adding the chicken so you can use it as a basting brush sauce without cross contamination worries.
  • Let the cooked chicken rest on the rack rather than a plate so the bottom stays caramelized instead of steaming soft.

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